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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pit — in a race
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rock — music
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wound — an injury
  15. spell — magic
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. wound — an injury
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com